Multiple-unit gas-generating system



Aug. 19 1924.

w. w. HARRIS MULTIPLE UNIT GAS GENERATING SYSTEM Filed Feb. 1l, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. E9 1924.

W. W. HARRIS MULTIPLE UNIT GAS GENERATING SYSTEM Filed Feb. 11, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 MULTIPLE UNIT GAS GENERATING SYSTEM Filed Feb. ll 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug. 19, 1924. W. W. HARRIS MULTIPLE UNIT GAS GENERATING SYSTEM- Fled Feb. 111922 4 Sh'e'etS-Sheet 4 @Patented Aug. 19, 1924.

WILLIAM W. HARRIS, OF NEWPORT, NEW'y JERSEY.

MULTIPLE-'UNIT GAS-GENERATING SYSTEM.

Application filed February 11, 1922. "Serial No. 535,842.

To all `whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, `WILLIAM `W. HARRIS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Newport, county of Cumberland, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Multiplew Unit GasGenerating Systems, of which the Afollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to multiple unit gas generating systems comprising a plurality of generators, each generator having its individual carbid supply, water supply and generating chamber and a common service pipe interconnecting such units.

An-obje'ctof the invention is to provide a generating' system comprising two or more individual generating units each constructed to receive separate masses of carbid and wa ter and interconnected in a manner whereby npon Withdrawal of acetylene through the common service pipe the further generation of the acetylene is effected combinedly in separate generating chambers. Such arrangement a'lfords advantages lduring the stage ofvgeneration of acetylene by reason of the distributed masses of the waterwithin the several containers, thereby enhancing the dissipation through a relatively smaller body of water of the heat generated tipo/n the product-ion of acetylene, and further by the increased radiating surface of the exposed outer walls of the containers, usuallyl Aof'iron or similar metal.

ln accordance with a preferred form of the invention, each unit is of the substantially constant pressure type, wherein the carbid is charged in an lupper carbid container, and fed under the control of a nonfriction feeding mechanism to the water disf posed in a lower water container, such feeding mechanism being actuated by a diaphragm in turn actuatedA by' changes of volume of the acetylene accumulated within each unit, and resilient means for each unit for controlling the sensitiveness of its diaphragm and adjustable means for regulating such .resilient means. Suchtwo or more units may be arranged as a bank and interconnected by passages for conducting the acetylene respectively from the several units to a common discharge means.

`Pin'si'lant to my invention, the generation of the required amount cf acetylene is carried out by means of a number of units which may be disconnected from one another when it is desired to transport the same, whereby the lesser weight of each unit individually facilitates tlieremoval of the bank as a whole. l have also discovered that ,the generation of acetylene by the re spective units combinedly affords improved maintenance of pressure of the gas supplied to the service pipe.

Furtherfeatures and objects of the invention will be more fully understood from the'following detail description and the accompanying drawings, in Which- Fig. klis a front elevation of a bank of two acetylene units constructed and arranged in accordance with 'my invention;

Fig. 2 is anend elevation of the arrangement shown'inl Fig. l andalso indicating the path of movement of one of the carbid containers to its ire-charging position, and the path of movement of one of thewater con- T tainers yfor discharging the sludge;

.Figy B is a detail vertical sectional elevation, on an enlarged scale, taken on line 3 3 ofFig. l;

Fig. i is a detail vertical central elevation, showing-the conj oint discharge arrangement, on an enlarged scale, taken online 4-4 of Fig. 2;,

Fig. 5 is a detail' vertical section, showing on an enlargedscale thefeeding portion of E5 a plunger, taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a carrier for a bankof two units, as shown in Fig. l; and n f f 7 is ar detail vertical central sectional view through the upper portion of a water containenshowing an improved sludge discharge andr watery refilling means,rcompris ing a float attachment for indicating the water level. 9U

Referring to Fig. l, the generator is shown of twoL units 10,11; it will'be understood that in a similar manner, three or more units may be arranged and interconnected with one another for the rcombined generav tion of acetylene.

The vario-us operating parts of the different units are preferably of the same arrangement and approximately of the same dimensions, and'in the following description, specifi-c reference will be had to one unit and the ycorresponding parts of the other unit are designated by the same reference characters. y

In the preferred form, as 'shown .in the drawings, the carbid container lf3 dis posed above the water containery 13. The

bottom `of each water container-is usually designed to afford proper support 'tor the unit as a whole ony the floor or in a common carrier trame 14, described more specifically hereinafter.

Referring to Fig. 3, the carbid container l2 is provided at its lower end with the opening 15, having the valve 16, through the orifice 17 of which extends the feeding portion 13 o't the plunger 19. rlfhe plunger 19 is secured to the diaphragm 20 of rubber composition, rubber :tabric or the like. rPhe hopper 12 may be of cylindrical Icontour -nd in such instance, the diaphragm 2O may be circular and be secured to the hopper 12 by clamping the `periplieral portion 21 of the diaphragm to thel upper, laterally extending flange 22 of the ho-pper 12. Centrally, the diaphragm 2O is recessed to receive the connecting piece'22, the lower face of whichis screw-threaded to adjust-l ably receive the upper threaded end 23 of the plunger 19. The plunger 19 may be locked -in its adjusted position by means of the lock nut 24. Usually, the diaphragm 2O is -secured to the connecting lpiece 22 by Suitable clamps,"suchr as the clamp disk 25 andthe lock nut 26.

The connecting `piece 22 is provided with an` upward tubular portion within which is received the stem 27 extending exteriorly at 23 through the upper end ot the casing 29. The lower' end 'of the stem 27'v is secured to the tubular extension by means of the peripheral circular slot 30 within which extends the locating set screw 31, screwthreadedly yheld wit-hin a suitable openingl in the tubular extension. The upper por-- tionr 32 of the stem 27 is provided with screw-'threading for meshing with the inner screw-threading'of the nut carrier 33, about which is secured lthe upper converging end 34 of the coiled spring 35. The lower end 36 oft the coiled spring 35 is rotatably held within the cup yring 37. i

The casi-ng 29 may be ysecured to the domed top plate 40 of the carbid hopper 12 by means of the ring extension 41, the inner face of which is threaded at 42 to receive the threaded lower end oit the casing 29. The retaining ring 37 is locked in position relative to the carbid hopper 12, i. e., to the domed top 40 of the carbid hopper 12, by engagement therewith or the lower edge ot the casing 29 whenfully seated within the ring extension 41. c

The upper end of' the casing 29 may be closed by means of the threaded cap 43 having the central opening' 44 through which extends the end 23 of the stem 27: pivotally secured in a slot in the end 23 of the stem 27 is thecam lever 45, generally ot an L-shaped contour; the pivot` 46 being located near one extremity of the same. rEhe face 47 of the cam lever 45, appearing in Fig. 3 as lowerly in position, may be flattened, whereby when the lever is moved to the position shown in full outline in Fig. 3, the lever 45 is in stable engagement with the upper face of the cap 43. The edge portion 48 of the cam lever 45, is circular or ot other curvature, thereby facilitating the cam action ot the lever 45 to raise the stem 27 and therewith the plunger 19, to lock the feeding mechanism 13 in its nonfeeding position, .at which stage the cam lever 45 is in the position shown in full outline in Fig. 3.

Such arrangement ot' the stem 27 and its (3o-ordinated parts, aliords turning of the stem 27 by means of the lever 45, whereby p upon clockwise rotation of the lever 45, as viewed when looking down in Fig. 3, the stem 27, having' a right-hand'thread as illustrated, causes the supporting nut 33 to rise, thereby elevating the upper end 34 of the spring 35, which by reason of the lodgement or the lower end 36 of the spring 35 within the ring 37,'the spring 35 will be distended and the tension asserted by the spring through the stem 37 upon the diaphragm 2O exerts a downward pressure. Thus upon raising the 'supporting nut 33 ot `the spring 35, the downward pressure on the diaphragm 20 may be increased as desired. Similarly, upon turning the lever 45 in a counter-clockwise rotation, as viewed downwardly in F ig. 3, the nut 33 will be lowered and the pressure of the spring 35 on the diaphragm 2O will be lessened.

rlhe cam lever 45 is provided with the retaining notch 49, see Fig. 2, on its edge 49a, see Fig. 3, for automatically retaining the lever 45 in its raised or locked position.

Upon raising the lever 45 from its full line position indicated in F ig. 3, its edge 49a rides over the circular edge of the cap 43 during normal reciprocations of the feed mechanism; however, in the event of abnormal pressure of the accumulated `gas lby which the stem 27 is carried to its uppermost position the cam lever 45 will assume the position 45av shown in dash outline, its notch 49 'becoming lodged on the edge of the cap 43, whereupon the feeding mechanism of such unit is locked in its non-operative position.

y Preferably, the feeding mechanism 18, Afor controlling the delivery of the carbid from the carbid hopper into the water reservoir 13, embodies the self-yielding Jieatures set forth and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 531,557 filed January 25th, 1922. ln the construction shown in Figs. 3 andl 5, the feeding mechanism comprises the stud 50 connected by its threaded end 51 to the lower end ojt the plunger 19; also the enlargement 52, relatively ixedly connected at the lower end of theplate 53, the upper end of which is connected to the stud 50.

The plate 53 yieldingly carries the coiled spring 54, as by passing the convolutionsof the coiled spring 54 through thestaggered sets of openings 55, openings 55 being larger than the cross-sectional area of the wire of the coil 54.- Accordingly, upon the plunger 19 being free to be moved under action of the diaphragm 20, lin which stage the lever 45 is in its unlocking position, the plunger 19 descends until the coil 54 moves downwardly through the feed opening 17 of the valve seat 16, thereby controlling the discharge of carb-id granules through the orifice 17. The feed of the carbid into the water in the water receptacleL 13 gives rise to generation of acetylene which passies upwardly through the feed orifice 17, through the charge of carbid granules to the upper portion 'of the. carbid hopper 12 and actuates the diaphragm 2O by reason of changes ofy volume of the gas, and in turn actuating the feeding mechanism 18.

rlhe gas generated in any unit is discharged therefrom through its outletk 60 communicating with the interior of the unit at any suitable location, such as the location 61, see Fig. v2, leading into the outer casing 62, see also Fig. 3; the outlet 61 may be connected by a yieldable piping 63 to the nipple 64, see Fig. 4.

Preferably, the carbid hopper 12 is hingedly mounted relative to the water reservoir 13, as by means of the strap 65, see Figs. 2 and 3, suitably secured to the outer casing 62 of the carbid hopper; the strap 65 is secured by the pin 66 to the arm 67 having a squared end face to permit limited movement of the hopper to selfadjust itself when being clamped to its water container, as described more fully hereinafter. i Y n The arm 67 is hinged to the tapered plug 63 screw-threaded in the double yoke 69, by means of a conical fitting and retained` by the set-screw 71 passing through a suitable opening in one end on the clamping arm 72, the opposite end 73 being secured to the plug 68 in any suitable manner. A

The lplug passage 68, leading the gas from the orilice of the nipple 64 to the pipe 7 4. The respective pipings 74, 74 lead to thev common discharge chamber 75 of the. bank of'units, as lby means of the T-nipple 76communi-r eatingy at its opening 77` with the chamber 75. Preferably, the chamber 75 contains a washing fluid 7 8. The ball valve 79 is provided at the outlet 77 to prevent back-pressure as when the system is used in co-mbination with other gases compressed to higher pressures. Such valve 79 serves also to prevent back-fire. 4

The chamber 75 is provided with the filling plug 8O and the drain plug 81. The rethe diameter of suchy 68 is provided with thecentral spective pipes 74 are equipped with the valves 82 for turning off and turning on the flow of acetylene therethrough from the individual units. Preferably, the discharge chamber 75 contains also a dehydrat-ing or filtering medium 83 supported by the reticula-ted bottom 84. IThe discharge chamber 75 may be closed by means of the closure plug 86 locked by the hingey yoke 37 and the set screw 38. As appears in Fig. 2, the service pipe 89 yleads from the top of the discharge chamber 75 and the pressure gauge 90 is' provided for indicating the pressure of the discharging gas.

Preferably, the bottom flange 91, see Fig. 3 of the carbid hopper is concaved tok receive a. suitable gasket'92, see Fig. 7, carried within the concaved flange 93 of the neck portion 94 ofl the water reservoir 13 and the lower ange 91 of the carbid hopper is locked in sealing relation with the upper flange 93 of the water reservoir 19 by means of the oppositely disposed cam hooks 95, see Fig. 2 operated by the common lever handle 96. yThe lever handle 96 may serve as a bail ofthe water reservoir 13, when desired. y

f When it is desired yto recharge the carbid hopper 12 thehandle 96 is raised, to thereby raise the cam locks 95 from engagement with the extensions 99 respectivelyy of rthe strap 65, whereupon the carbid hopper 12 may be swung on the arm 67 and inverted to the position '12a shown in dash-outline in Fig. 2. To facilitate charging carbid into the carbid hopper', the valve seat 16 is provided with the exterior portion 100 see Fig. 3, which may be removed by unserewing` the same.. The carbid is then fed through the enlarged opening of the-orice, past the abutment 52 and valve feeding portion 1S of the plunger `19.

`The sludge rmay be removed from the waterreservoir 13 by tilting the water reservoir and to facilitate such action by manual operation, 1 have lprovided suitable means associated with thek carrier 14 as is described more particularly hereinafter.

The removal of the sludge and refilling with fresh water is' facilitated by means of the attachment 101, see Figs. 7 and 2, constructed to be attached to thetop flange 93 of the water reservoir 13 by means of the cam locks 95, by similar operation of the curved lever' handle 96. rhe attachment 101 is thus seatedrin liquid tight engagement with the upper iiange 93 of the water reservoir by means ofthe gasket 92. Such attachment191, provides for ready discharge of thesludge and the protection of the gasket 92 and mouth 93 of the water receptacle 13,k

to preventfouling, and also serves as a fun nely when recharging the reservoir 13 with water.

To facilitate indication of a proper amount of fresh water supplied to the water reservoir, I provide the level indicator 103 secured to the inner tace of the attachment 101 and coniprising the bracket 1011 having suitable openings in its opposite arms loosely receiving the rod 105, at the lower end ot which is attached lthe body float 106. The rod 105 is provided with the stop 107 at yits uppergend to limit the downward movement of the float rod 105. As the water poured into the water reservoir 18 reaches approximately the level indicated at 10S, the iioat 106 becomes operative and the movement of the stop 107 rel-gA ative to the bracket 10a shows the operator when the proper level has been reached.

Upon properly charging carbid into ,the individual carbid holders and water into fthe respective water reservoirs, and releasing` Athe levers 45 trom locking position, the carbid Afeeding mechanisms of the respective units are actuated by the combined action ot their diaphragme and regulating springs, and the generation of gas ensues for all the units connected in, with the common discharge outlet. It will be noted that the two or more units when their cocks are turned on, are connected with one another through common passage ways, thereby atlording equalization of pressure within the interiors ot the diiterent units. Villien it is desired that each unit operate to the same degreeof output, the reciprocation of the ,plungers is observed and the more slowly operating unit or units are increased in tension ot' their regulating springs, or the faster unit or units reduced in tension of their regulating springs, until all units of the system operate in unison. During such simultaneous operation of the carbid t'eeding mechanism of the respective generators the carbid is delivered from any carbid hopper to its water reservoir in the` amount corresponding to the extent of furnished by such unit and a substantial constant pressure is maintained simultaneously within the interiors ot therespec.- tive units. By reason of the relatively lesser mass ot water in any single water reservoir, the heat derived by exothermic chemical reaction ot carbid with water is readily conducted through the mass of water and dissipated at the exposed tace of the circular or other side walls of the water receptacle. It will also be noted that by reason of -the water being distributed within a number of units, the surface or the water receptacles give rise to a marked dissipation of the total heat evolved in the chemical reaction.r

pon any unit approaching its fully dise crisi-ged condition, its cock 82 may be closed and the unit rae-charged while the remaining unit or units are continued in use.V

The combined generator units form a bank which may be when desired, disconnected from one another, to aiiord individual transportation, which advantage is otl importance in many uses of acetylene.

rIhe transportation of two or more units and as a bank may also be carried out by means of a common carrier such as has been indicated generally hereinabove. AThe frame 14 .shown in perspective in Fig. 6 and in assembly with two units in Fig. 1, may comprise the bottom rectangular frame 110 which maybe braced by the one or more transverse straps 111. it the locations rin the carrier for receiving the water reservoirs, in this instance two water reservoirs, I provide the double U-brackets having two vertically extending arms 112 having slots 113 at ytheir upper extremities for receiving the opposi'tely extending ends 114 of the bar 115, see Figs. 1 and 2. The bar 115 may be secured to one side ot the water generator 13 by any suitable form oil brackets 116. The brackets 112 are pivoted at their oppositeends 117 in the bearings 118, secured to the bottom frame 110 ot the carrier 14. The

double U brackets comprise further the members 119 connected as pairs by the cross piece 120, for receiving yand supporting thebottom et a water reservoir 13. "Ilius, upon manually tilting over a water reservoir 13, as is indicated in Fig. 2, the double U-bracket including the arms 112 and the arms 119 are rotated. clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 2, lsa

to the limiting position indicated by dotted outline, namely, by the ends of the arm 119 striking the bar 121, whereafter the water reservoir 18 may be further tilted on its bar to its final emptying position shown by dotand dash outline.

Whereas I have described my invention by reference to specic forms thereof, it will be understood that many changes and rmodifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as deiined bythe appended claims.

1. In an acetylene supply system, th combination of a plurality of generating units, each of said units including carbid feeding means automatically responsive to changes in the pressure .of the gas accumulated within said units and means for adjusting said carbid feeding passage means respectively, a common service outlet means for pivotally mounting said carbid vfeeding means respectively to said common service outlet, means for interconnecting said units With said common service outlet and means coacting with said adjusting vmeans respectively for locking the respective carbid feeding means in closed position.

2. In an acetylene supply system, the combination of' a plurality of genera-ting units, each generating unit comprising carbid teeding' means, a carbid container and a separate water container, a common service outlet, means for pivotally supporting combination of a plurality of generating units, each generating unit comprising carbid feeding means, a carbid container and a separate Water container, a common service outlet, means for pivotally supporting said carbid containers respectively on said common service outlet, adjustingmeans for controlling the operation of said carbid eeding means, means for disconnecting any of said units from said common service outlet and means coacting With said adjusting means for locking the carbid feeding meansy of such disconnected unit in closed position.

4. In an acetylene supply system, a plurality of generating units, each unit having separate carbid and Water containers, means for removably mounting the carbid container of any unit on its Water container, and means tor discontinuing the operation of said units respectively, a common service outlet, means for interconnecting said units with said common service outlet, a common carrier for said generating units, and means mounted on said carrier for respectively mounting the Water containers of said units to respectively tilt the same to discharge the sludge therefrom.

5. In an acetylene supply system, the combination of a plurality of generating units, a common carrier for said generating units, each generating unit including a carbid container and a separate Water container, means carried by said carrier for holding said carbid container in ire-charging position, av

common service outlet supported by said common carrier, means including individual gas conveying members 'for the respective units interconnecting said units With said common service outlet and meansrcoacting with said individual gas conveying members for hingedly mounting the respective carbid containers on the Water containers.

6. In an acetylene supply system,y the combination of a plurality of generating units, a common carrier for said generating units, each generating unit including a carbid container and a separate Water container, means for hingedly mounting each carbid container on its Water container to permit removal of the carbid container for re-charging, means carried by said carrier for holding said carbid container in re-charging position, a common service outlet supported by said common carrier, means including indif vidual gas passages for the respective units interconnecting said units With said common service outlet, and means hingedly mounted on said common carrier for respectively tilting the Water containers to emptying position. f l

7. In an yacetylene supply system, a plurality of generating units, each unit having separate carbidand water containers, means for removably ymounting the carbid container of any unit on its Water container, and means for discontinuing the operation of said units respectively, a common service outlet, means for interconnecting said units with said common service outlet, a common carrier for said generating units and means carried by said carrier for holding the respective carbid containers in disconnected relation with their Water container respectively to permit ice-charging with carbid.

y 8. In an acetylene generating system, a generating unit comprising a carbid container, a Water container, means for removably mounting said carbid container on said Water container, means including loclrsl for holding said carbid container in sealing relation With an end face of the discharging opening of the Water container, means coacting With said locks for attachment to the discharging opening of said Water container for discharging the sludge tree from said sealing end face ot said discharge opening and for receiving the re-charged Water tree from said sealing end face.

9. In an `acetylene generating system, a generating unit comprising a carbid container, a Water container, means for removably mounting said carbid container on said Water container, a plurality of cam loclrs for holding said carbid container in sealing relation With an end face of the discharging opening of the Water container, common means for operating said plurality of locks, means coacting with said locks for attachment to the discharging opening of said Water container for discharging the sludge free from said sealing end itace ot said discharge opening and for receiving the re-charged Water free from said sealing end face.

10. In an acetylene generating system, a generating unit comprisingy a carbid container, a Water container, means tor removably mounting said carbid container on said Water container, a plurality of loclrs for holding said carbid container in sealing relation With an end face of the discharging opening of the Water container, common means for operating said plurality of locks, meanscoacting with said loclrs for attachment to the discharging opening of said l1. In an acetylene generating system, a

i0 for attachment to the discharging opening of said Waten container for discharging the sludge free from said sealing end face of said discharge opening and for receiving the ree-charged.. Water free from said sealing` end face and means secured to said attachment -15 means for indicating the level of the Water re-charged in said Water container.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification this 8th day of February, 1922.

VILLIAM W. HARRIS. 

